I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions of matter having buffering and nutritional properties. More particularly, the present invention relates to a liquid composition that includes a vegetable oil and water suspension that includes therein an antacid base comprising calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide. The composition further includes selected metal chelates or complexes and a vitamin supplement. The composition of the present invention has both buffering and nutritional properties. The composition may be administered in liquid form or within a capsule or tablet.
II. Description of the Relevant Art
Life in modern times is, by definition, life in stressful times. The well-being of the individual is clearly compromised by the fast-paced, high-stress styles of life that most Westerners have come to expect as being normal and acceptable.
While many parts of the human body suffer from such a way of life, the stomach and the duodenum represent areas of the body that react most immediately and most vividly to increased stress on the individual.
Two undesirable situations result from stress. First, the body tends to absorb and metabolize important nutrients, particularly the B complex vitamins (the most important of which are vitamins B.sub.1, B.sub.2, B.sub.6 and B.sub.12), at a particularly fast rate. Also metabolized at an accelerated rate are metal elements including calcium, magnesium and zinc.
The second situation relates to the physical destruction of body tissue. In the healthy stomach, gastric mucus and epithelial barrier protect the stomach from "digesting itself". This is critical in that pure gastric juice is capable of digesting all living tissues. Pathogenically, severe and even mild stress works to compromise these lines of defense by causing an alteration in the permeability of the epithelial barrier thereby allowing back diffusion of hydrochloric acid and contributing to the destruction of underlying tissue Histamine is liberated and plays a role in the stimulation of additional acid and pepsin secretion. The mucosa is damaged as a result and erosions and ulcers may be formed. Plasma protein is lost at this stage.
In responding to the former situation, an increased uptake of selected vitamins and metals by the affected individual works to offset the loss due to stress. Regarding the latter situation, the primary objective in the treatment of erosions and ulcers is to inhibit (or buffer) the acid secretions. Such inhibition results in both relieving symptoms and encouraging healing of the affected region.
To this end, antacids are useful for neutralizing the acid gastric contents by maintaining an elevated pH level such that pepsin is not activated. The buffering feature of antacids is generally provided by a weak base that becomes a buffer on the addition of acid.
A typical antacid uses as its principal ingredient magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH).sub.2), which also finds use as a laxative in milk of magnesia (magnesia magma) in a water suspension. The typical antacid also uses aluminum, typically in the form of aluminum hydroxide gel (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 xH.sub.2 O). However, aluminum has been related to Alzheimer's disease on the theory that because aluminum is a neurotoxin, it can induce neurofibrillary changes in the brain. This is the result of aluminum toxicity. While it is not clear whether or not the link between the disease and aluminum is absolute, this theory persists.
There are known some antacids that do not contain aluminum, but use other undesirable components. For example, some popular antacids contain "mineral oil and purified water". However, while mineral oil has had for some time been used internally, it is now becoming clear that this is not desirable. Mineral oil taken internally has many negative effects. For example mineral oil decreases absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as calcium and phosphorous. Furthermore, mineral oil binds carotene from foods in the intestine as it passes. Mineral oil also passes into blood and into the lymph, and picks up additional fat soluble vitamins from body fluids and tissues and excretes these materials in the feces. In addition, mineral oil, which is often used as a laxative (thus the individual using the composition as an antacid will be receiving treatment with a laxative even if such treatment is unnecessary), is also under present suspicion as a contributor to cancer.
Buffering compositions not containing mineral oil are known. However, the compositions substitute mineral oil with other oils that are not desirable according to present knowledge. Specifically, all of the oils used in known compositions are either saturated or are polyunsaturated. Today it is understood that polyunsaturates contribute to cancer because of low-density lipoproteins ("LDL's") and because of the generation of free radicals. Polyunsaturates depress both the density of the LDL's while reducing the numbers of desirable high density lipoproteins ("HDL's").
Furthermore, only LDL elevation is associated with increased coronary risk, while HDL elevation correlates with decreased risk. Accordingly, HDL cholesterol has been referred to as "benevolent" cholesterol, and HDL elevation is increasingly being thought of as having protective effects.
In any event, stressful conditions lead to both excess acidity and nutrient (particularly vitamin) deprivation. There is presently no known pharmaceutical composition which attends to both of these difficulties as a single medication.